Kolkata, Jun 18 (IANS): The wait continued for the family members of two Indian Army soldiers from West Bengal's Birbhum and Alipurduar districts as their bodies were yet to arrive at their native villages on Thursday.

According to sources, the body of sepoy Rajesh Oraon will arrive at Panagarh Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Burdwan district while the casket carrying the body of Bipul Roy will reach Bagdogra airport on Thursday evening.

The two soldiers were amongst the 20 Indian Army jawans killed in clashes with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) at Galwan Valley of Ladakh.

Both the bodies will then be taken to Belgoria village at Mohammed Bazar in Birbhum and Bindipara village in Alipurduar district by road respectively. The district administration is also clueless about the actual timing of the arrival of dead bodies of two martyrs.

Meanwhile, hundreds of villagers, friends and relatives of both Rajesh and Bipul waited for the whole day with a hope to receive the bodies and pay their last homage to the bravehearts.

While villagers of Bindipara village set up a makeshift podium to pay last respect to their village boy Bipul, friends and neighbours of Rajesh also made things ready to receive the body.

Local sources said if the bodies arrive at Panagarh and Bagdogra late in the evening, it will take at least a few hours to take the bodies to respective villages. In that case, the last rites would be performed quite late on Thursday night.

The family members, friends and relatives of both Rajesh and Bipul wanted to receive the bodies in day light so that they could perform the last rites in presence of everyone with utmost respect and state gun salute.

"We are waiting for the body to arrive. Let's see when it comes," said Shakuntala Oraon, Rajesh's sister, adding that now she will have to take care of her aging parents.